Yahoo News Glee's Idina Menzel says playing Lea Michele's mum 'wasn't great'
Idina Menzel has looked back on playing Lea Michele's mum on Glee, admitting the experience left her feeling deflated over the age gap with her co-star.
The Enchanted and Frozen star appeared on 12 episodes of the musical show created by Ryan Murphy. Between 2010 and 2013, Menzel guest starred as Shelby Corcoran, a vocal coach and the mother of Michele's character Rachel Berry.
The Broadway actress played opposite Michele, who is only 15 years her junior, and recently reflected on how playing a teenager's mother on screen wasn't "great for [her] ego".
Related: Idina Menzel confirms her return for Frozen 3
Back then, Menzel had just welcomed her first child with her then-husband, Private Practice star Taye Diggs, and feared the pool of roles for her would be getting smaller.
"You know, you're worried you're not going to work again, and then people hire you to be someone's mother when you probably should be their older sister," the Uncut Gems actress told Stellar magazine.
"It just wasn't great for the ego. But I sucked it up and sucked myself into my clothes, and was excited to work with [creator] Ryan Murphy and be a part of that hit show."
She continued: "I had my son Walker, and then three months later, I got the call [to be on Glee] and so I said 'yes.'"
Thinking about her stint on the show, Menzel also said she was breastfeeding at the time and "couldn't fit into any of the costumes."
Related: Frozen's Idina Menzel reveals 'Let It Go' change that she regrets
Menzel will appear in a more age-appropriate mum role in Netflix's You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, in which she's teaming up with Adam Sandler again, following 2019's Uncut Gems.
The two stars play the parents of protagonist teen Stacy, portrayed by Sandler's 14-year-old daughter Sunny.
Releasing to the streamer later this month, the coming-of-age comedy is the latest entry in the 'Sandlerverse,' including the films the actor and producer has released as part of his Netflix deal.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is set to stream on Netflix from August 25.
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